Various types of portable or transportable barriers are known but typically those are all directed to the guidance of vehicular traffic or the protection of persons from vehicular traffic particularly at locations where roadworks are being carried out.
For example, Swiss Patent Application Nos. 676864 and 683540 to SEROC SA illustrates a traffic barrier having a concrete base and a pair of spaced apart guide rails disposed above the base, but this barrier is low level only and can be easily scaled so is not effective for crowd control. European Patent Application no. 589605 to Energy Absorption Systems Inc illustrates a hollow barrier module for traffic control but this module is also ineffective for crowd control as it can be easily scaled, the ridges provided therein allowing an effective purchase for climbing.
Thus, there is a need for a novel form of barrier which may be erected quickly and easily at a desired location and will prove effective for crowd control, and accordingly the principal object of the present invention is to meet the demand for such barriers.
Another object of the invention is to provide conveniently sized barrier modules which may easily be assembled to form a barrier for crowd control, the modules once positioned and interconnected, being adapted for filling with liquid so that weight and stability will be increased and being able to be emptied after use so that transportability to other sites will be restored.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide barrier modules designed so that maximum compactness is achieved, without undue bulk, but which cannot be scaled by a rioter or truant under normal conditions. It is another object to provide barrier modules which once connected to adjacent modules cannot easily be detached by rioters or truants or tipped by such persons under normal conditions. It is a further object to provide modules of the character described which allow viewing therethrough for crowd observation by the authorities, and/or to enable the easy passing of instructions, and/or for visible threatening with brandished weapons, but without significantly reducing the security benefits by facilitating scaling by crowd members. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become clear from the embodiments later described.